Military reductions could impact Selfridge

An A-10 Thunderbolt parked at Selfridge Air National Guard Base
Loss of the A-10 Thunderbolt could be a major hit for the base, which is the largest military installation in Michigan.
Macomb Daily file photo

Selfridge Air National Guard Base’s future has taken another tenuous turn as an Air Force proposal to eliminate the A-10 aircraft has emerged as a recommendation from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who is also eyeing more military base closings.

In a speech at the Pentagon Monday afternoon, Hagel announced several bold moves to reduce and restructure the armed services: cut the size of the Army to pre-World War II levels; eliminate the A-10s, which are a key component of the military mission at Selfridge and numerous other Air National Guard bases; retire the Air Force’s venerable U-2 spy planes; and cut the size of the Army National Guard by 5 percent.

Hagel also said the administration will propose a new round of in-country military base closings in 2017, while noting Congress has rejected such requests in recent years.

The plan to end the A-10 Thunderbolt’s flight service drew immediate opposition from Sen. Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Candice Miller, the Harrison Township Republican whose district includes the base.

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“Recently, the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force concluded that we in Congress were on the right path by recognizing that the Air Guard was a vital national asset that provided our nation with great security in a very cost-effective manner that must be utilized. In fact, the commission even recommended greater reliance on the Air Guard to save money and maintain a ready force.

“… The (Obama) administration can expect that those of us who so strongly recognize the important role the National Guard plays in defending our nation will not back down in ensuring that role is not diminished.”

The 1,700 active-duty and National Guard airmen at the Harrison Township base, the largest military installation in Michigan, are assigned to two planes, the KC-135 air refueling tanker and the A-10, affectionately known as the “Warthog.”

The 107th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge consists of 455 Guardsmen who are A-10 pilots or engage in maintenance and operations of the 18 aircraft. The unit is also comprised of 180 full-time employees -- 21 serve on active-duty status and the remainder are uniformed civilian technicians.

The squadron’s latest deployment overseas was in fall and winter of 2011 when the unit spent four months stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno has said the low-flying A-10 performed “incredibly well” in Iraq and Afghanistan, where its mission was to protect ground troops with bombs and rotary machine guns and perform its traditional role as a “tank buster.”

But Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh has said other aircraft, such as the F-16 jet fighter and the long-awaited F-35 aircraft, could provide all support for ground troops and also perform other missions. Welsh considers the A-10 a one-dimensional weapon that is obsolete.

Despite the outcome of the Air Force structure study, the budget plan for fiscal year 2015 outlined by Hagel suggests he is siding with Welsh, not Odierno.

Sen. Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he believes the Pentagon faces an intense skirmish on Capitol Hill.

“The A-10 has a vital capability, and we must ensure that we maintain that capability,” said the senator, who is retiring at the end of the year. “Those who propose eliminating the A-10 have a heavy burden of proof. Any such proposal will receive close scrutiny as we develop the defense authorization act this year.”

At Selfridge, which will mark its 97th year in operation later this year, officials were not surprised at Hagel’s announcement but they also appeared ready for the day when the A-10, which debuted in the 1970s, will be phased out.

“Discussion about the possible elimination of the A-10 from the Air Force inventory has been going on for some time. Therefore, it is not a surprise to see Secretary Hagel recommend the elimination of the A-10 fleet from the Air Force,” said Sgt. Dan Heaton, a spokesman for Selfridge’s host unit, the 127th Wing.

“Our mission will be to continue to train with that aircraft until such time as we are directed to a new mission by the Air Force. We continue to believe that the 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base is home to some of the most capable and highly skilled Airmen in the nation. We look forward to the opportunity to engage Michigan’s airmen with a new long-term mission to secure the defense and safety of our state and nation.”

The Air Force hopes to retire all 326 A-10 Thunderbolts at a savings of about $3.7 billion.

Levin has conceded that the loss of aircraft would be a “big hit” for the sprawling base located on Lake St. Clair. In addition to the Air National Guard squadron, Selfridge is also home to other national security agencies, such as the Coast Guard and a high-tech Department of Homeland Security facility that works with local law enforcement agencies.

The attempt by military brass to eliminate the nation’s A-10 fleet for the 2014 fiscal year was headed off by Congress last year after more than 30 senators and representatives sent Hagel a blunt and detailed letter objecting to the preliminary plans.

When the military brass in 2012 attempted to put the 107th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge and what was then 24 A-10s on the chopping block, the proposal united Macomb County’s elected officials and business community to oppose the plan. The Selfridge Base Community Council coordinated a lobbying campaign and Gov. Rick Snyder, Oakland County Prosecutor L. Brooks Patterson and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing joined the fight, which proved successful last year.